


Meeting at Dawn

by Charlotte (Soana)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akumatized Character, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Betrayal, Future Fic, Gen, How Do I Tag, Lies, One Shot, POV Hawkmoth, Paris (City), Post-Betrayal, Post-Gabriel Agrest | Papillon | Hawk Moth Identity Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:35:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21835297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soana/pseuds/Charlotte
Summary: In the future, Gabriel Agreste isn't Hawkmoth anymore.Someone else hides behind the purple mask.Paris. Night. A footstep slaps upon a rooftop. He recognizes that sound, has heard it for years. He wasn’t planning on doing anything tonight, but it would be a shame not to size an occasion when it appears.Chat Noir is on patrol, alone. And Ladybug is nowhere to be seen.Perfect.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 53





	Meeting at Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the episode ‘Timetagger’ in season 3. There is no spoiler. It was just mentioned by the villain how in the future Hawkmoth isn’t Gabriel Agreste anymore. So I wrote a scene, happening in the future, where Hawkmoth isn’t Gabriel Agreste.
> 
> Enjoy!

It’s night. Adrien is wrapped into a warm puffy jacket, and he is pretty sure it’s going to snow very soon. The first snow of the year has always been beautiful to him… The way snowflakes slowly fall to the ground and call for a winter filled with presents and hot chocolate never failed to bring him back to the time he was a small child, when his family was still complete, and everyone was happy. But now, few things can move his heart.

He walks down an empty street, on his way to that apartement he rents under a false name - because he is sure Ladybug has access to that kind of information, and he can’t afford to be found by her. He sleeps there. It doesn’t have much. A bed, a little kitchen… He doesn’t need much to live, has never needed much. His father was the one who loved big mansions and expensive fourniture. He still has the mansion, actually. But he can’t live there, he can’t get caught.

A footstep slaps upon a rooftop, and Adrien stops. He lifts his gaze from the ground, his dyed black hair moving to the side. He recognizes that sound, has heard it for _years_. Long ago, he’s been the one to walk and jump on rooftops. Though he was way more discreet, quieter.

A dark shadow suddenly flies over his head, crossing the street in one movement, from a roof to another, and Adrien smirks. He wasn’t planning on doing anything tonight, but it would be a shame not to size an occasion when it appears.

So he moves to the side and goes into an even darker and empty adjacent street. He presses his back against the wall and takes a deep breath.

‘’Nooroo?’’ he whispers.

A small ball of purple light flies from his jacket and floats in front of his face. The little kwami looks at him without fear.

‘’Master?’’

Adrien snorts.

‘’I already told you to call me ‘Adrien’.’’ he corrects, an amused smile on his face. ‘’My father was way too strict.’’

At the mention of this man, Nooroo shivers and adverts his gaze. It could be because of the weather, but Adrien knows for a fact that kwamis don’t get cold. He wants to be better than his father, and it starts with the way he treats this poor kwami. He knows his father was bad to him, and even though he can’t say he uses his powers for the good of the people, he wants to be different. And it shows, in the way Nooroo can look at him in the eyes like an equal, whereas when he speaks of his father, the little kawmi shakes and looks away, uncomfortable.

‘’Yes, A-Adrien.’’ Nooroo answers shakily, not used to be so familiar with him. But Adrien doesn’t worry. With time, it will get better.

Instead, he smiles, friendly.

‘’Wings, rise.’’

* * *

When he reaches the shadow he saw earlier, Adrien hides behind a chimney and observes. Chat Noir is crouched on the ledge of the roof, carefully watching what’s going on below him, in the Champs Elysées.

 _On patrol, then?_ he deduces. _Well, that’s one thing I sure don’t miss doing!_

What can he say? He was a mannequin, he needed his beauty sleep!

Adrien quietly exits his hiding spot and stands tall behind Chat Noir. The kid hasn’t seen him yet, and he smirks. Is this really the one replacing him? Though, he can’t help but admire his concentration on the task. It only took a few hours for Adrien to get tired and start yawning, but this one is still attentive, even though the sun will soon shine upon the city.

He slaps his foot on the roof tiles, pretending he only just arrived, and sees how Chat Noir jumps and turns to him, surprise painted all over his face. Well, that’s a bad point for him. The more expressive he is, the easier it is for his enemies to read him. But whatever, it’s only better for Adrien.

‘’Oh oh oh. What do we have here?’’ Adrien mocks. He doesn’t really like the new Chat Noir. He tells himself it’s because he was a better Chat Noir than that fake could ever be, but in truth, he knows it’s just because he misses his job.

The fake Chat Noir gets up and turns to fully face him, his baton already defensively held in front of him.

The costume is a bit different, Adrien notices. But he guesses it depends on everyone’s preferences - his own purple robe is a bit altered from the one he has seen his father wearing that day… - Chat Noir’s ears are shorter and rounder, and his shoes don’t have the paw-like image printed on them like Adrien’s had. The bell has been moved to the end of the tail, which is a large and round black thread and looks exactly like a cat’s tail - whereas Adrien’s was a flat belt with a few holes - and the collar of his shirt is painted a bright red, imitating the collar of a domestic cat. His eyes are also fully green, but his hair is a dark brown. All in all, he looks less wild than Adrien did.

‘’Hawkmoth…’’ the fake cat breathes, his voice deep and definitely masculine. The surprise then disappears from his face, and all Adrien can see now is a frown. ‘’What are you doing here?’’

‘’Oh, nothing much.’’ Still smiling, Adrien twirls his long staff like a majorette and takes a few steps closer. ‘’I just wanted to say ‘hi’!’’ he explains, lifting his free hand up to wave like a japanese girl.

Chat Noir just puts a foot behind the other and bends slightly forward, ready to jump and attack if the need arises.

‘’I’m not saying ‘hi’ to you.’’ he says, and Adrien lets his hand fall back to his side.

‘’Why are you being so rude?’’ he pouts. ‘’I’m just trying to be nice!’’

‘’Why? Oh, I don't know… Maybe because you keep akumatizing people!’’ the fake Chat Noir spits at him, looking exactly like an angry cat.

Long ago, a face carrying this much hate directed at him would have made Adrien suffer. All he ever wanted, back then, was to please his father, and he became hungry for affection. Meeting Nino helped. His friend was always greeting him with a hug, or laying a hand on his shoulder; and with every touch and conversation, he could feel his loneliness disappear. His group of friends grew, and with each day, it became easier to deal with his father’s coldness and distance.

But he has never been more at ease than with Ladybug.

‘’What can I say?’’ he says, ignoring the pang in his chest. He smiles and adds, ‘’No one is _purr_ fect.’’

Chat Noir squints at him, suspicious. And he has every right to be, knowing what _Hawkmoth_ did to this city.

‘’What do you want?’’

Adrien’s smile doesn’t waver.

‘’I just realised that we didn’t get to properly introduce ourselves. You see, I’ve had a lot of conversations with Ladybug, but barely anything with you.’’ he states, before holding his hand out to the fake cat. ‘’Why not start from the beginning? Hi, my name is Hawkmoth, and you?’’

Clearly, this Chat Noir wasn’t educated properly, as he answers rudely… by attacking him. The fake cat jumps to him, baton behind his back and all of his ten claws out and ready to cut. Adrien simply gets out of the way, dodging to the right, before running from the roof. He jumps over the streets and keeps going until he reaches a flat rooftop. No tiles, just a white space of cement with a round antenna on the side, on top of a twenty-something floors building.

As Chat Noir, Adrien would have had no trouble fighting on uneven grounds. But he doesn’t have Plagg’s help anymore, even if he’s still quite agile on his own. Being a cat for years does that to you.

As soon as the fake cat reaches the building and stands on the other side of the roof, Adrien turns around and faces him, planting the bottom of his staff into the floor.

‘’Hey! I was being nice!’’ he complains, using the tone of a child having a temper. He has always used his words to distract his opponents, and it has worked on numerous occasions. But he isn’t sure it will work with this Chat Noir. He doesn’t know him well enough yet. On one hand, the fake cat seems to be able to stay focused for a long time, but on the other hand… He gets angry really fast, and for pretty much no reason.

Chat Noir slowly walks to him, like a predator to its prey, and Adrien has to make himself not take a step backward.

‘’You are not nice!’’ the fake growls, and- _Wow. So this is what it feels like to be facing Plagg._

Well, it’s not that fun.

Adrien puts on a childish smile and pretends he doesn’t miss his kwami.

‘’Says who?’’ he sing-songs.

The answer is immediate.

‘’Paris.’’

They both stop and stand where they are. Adrien takes a deep breath while the world is stuck around him. The only movement he perceives is his heart beating way faster than it is supposed to be, even when taking into account the jumping around he did to reach this building.

If he had any idea that going after the fake cat would hurt so much, Adrien would have stayed on his way home. He doesn’t even really know _why_ he came after him. What did he expect? For him and his successor to have a nice and friendly conversation?

He looks down. His fingers itch to squeeze his upper-arms, to hug himself. But he needs to stay strong, even if it’s just to not worry Plagg. So instead, he presses five of them harder onto his staff, and folds his other hand into a fist by his side. It’s not much, but it helps calm his heart. In the back of his mind, he notices the sky becoming lighter. The sun is coming.

He is _not_ Hawkmoth. Far from it. He is different from his father. He makes sure no one dies because of him, he makes sure Nooroo isn’t afraid of him. But for Paris, if he has the same costume and the same powers, then he _is_ Hawkmoth. They don’t see a difference. So all his father did? It all becomes his fault in the eyes of the city. And thus, even though the real Hawkmoth has been stopped. He carries the weight of actions that aren’t his.

He smiles. A small, timid smile, of someone who has accepted his fate, and his own decisions.

‘’Yes, my name has been tainted by the actions of my predecessor.’’ he says, quietly. ‘’But I assure you that I intend to change it.’’

When he looks up, he sees the fake cat tapping something onto his baton’s keyboard - his claws back inside his fingers - probably calling Ladybug. So she’ll come. She’ll be here, soon. He’ll be able to see her again, in real life this time - because she is already everywhere around him. Every newspaper is about her, every tv show mention her at least once, every advertisement in the streets have a red and black-dotted pattern, every child play ‘Ladybug and Chat Noir against Hawkmoth’, running around and trying to catch each other with yoyos and tree branches as batons.

Adrien breathes. _Get a hold of yourself! You’re twenty-six, you’re an adult, damn it!_ The fight is not over. He can’t afford to let his guard down like this, it will only get him caught… and he _needs_ his freedom.

God, emotions are so _troublesome_ …

Then he speaks.

‘’Say, why not try something new, kitty?’’

Chat Noir looks up at him, green irises full of distrust. He snorts, then puts his baton back behind his back.

‘’What? Are you going to akumatize me?’’

Oh- what a good idea! Well, if the opportunity presents itself, why not?

The first Hawkmoth has never been able to akumatize any of them. True, he got Queen Bee, but she’s the only Miraculous owner he has been able to get to. Ladybug and Chat Noir have been untouchable, even behind their masks… at least for him. Knowing who Hawkmoth was, Adrien is not really surprised a butterfly never came for him, even though his situation made for plenty of opportunities. As for Ladybug, Adrien is pretty sure she is just strong enough to fight against her own negative emotions and repel Hawkmoth’s powers.

But no. Akumatizing the new Chat Noir is not what he had in mind.

‘’Nope. I’m going to ask nicely.’’ he says, putting on a big smile he used to adopt for every photoshoot he ever did. One of the smiles who made him popular, and one that is on the picture they used for his ‘Missing’ advertisement.

The day his father was taken away, Adrien Agreste disappeared with him. But, that same day, Tom Dujour appeared out of nowhere… And rented an apartment.

The fake cat blinks at him.

‘’Excuse me?’’

Adrien looks at him in the eyes, large smile still on.

‘’Could you, please, in all kindness, give me the Miraculous you currently have in your possession?’’ he asks. ‘’It would be _soooo_ nice of you!’’

‘’No.’’

Well, at least he tried. But he has another argument.

‘’Please.’’ he blinks repeatedly, tilting his head to the side, pouting, and being as cute as possible. It’s a tactic which has worked numerous times on The Gorilla, when he had wanted to go somewhere without his father knowing. Really, his bodyguard may have been all rough and muscular, but he had a soft spot for Adrien. ‘’I wanna talk to Plagg.’’

He feels more than he sees Chat Noir straightening up, unsettled. The confused expression he wore before is immediately replaced with a frown, while his claws slide out again. Why does he seem so surprised he knows Plagg?, Adrien wonders. And then he realizes-

He doesn’t know him. That freaking _fake cat_ doesn’t know he has the former Chat Noir in front of him. Meaning…

_Ladybug hasn’t told you?_

Ooh. He, who was now looking for a way to akumatize the boy in front of him, has been served one on a silver tray- and by Ladybug herself, nonetheless! Is there an even more powerful emotion than one created by a broken trust? This is going to be so easy.

He stops, blinks.

He doesn’t really know when he started thinking this way, when he started to try and make people miserable for a stronger akumatized. It’s not something he is proud of, and it’s something he knows even his father never did. But unlike him, Adrien _is_ miserable. He has nothing to lose, no son to protect, no career to continue. He just has himself, and it’s painful.

The fake cat looks at him, but a bit of his anger visibly disappears behind a curtain of incomprehension.

‘’How-’’ he starts, but his voice fails him. He clears his throat and starts again. ‘’How do you know my kwami’s name?’’

Adrien tilts his head back, and stares at the disappearing stars. He can’t help from laughing a little. Really, this is ridiculous. This situation is ridiculous- his whole _life_ is ridiculous.

‘’Ohoh.’’ he chuckles, slowly shaking his head. ‘’I know a lot of things about ‘your’ Miraculous, kitty.’’ Adrien moves his gaze to Chat Noir, making sure he has his full attention. Once satisfied, he continues, ‘’I know Plagg _loves_ camembert more than anything in the world. I know he likes to lay around and do nothing. I know what it feels like to get hit by a cataclysm- and believe me, it’s not fun. I also know a lot about Ladybug’s Miraculous. I know she gives homemade macarons to Tikki. I know she is the voice of reason when Ladybug is affected by something. Hell- I even know the names and powers of _all_ the other kwamis the Guardian of the Miraclebox protects.’’

His father lacked information. Adrien knows he didn’t even have access to the recipes of the potions which enable the kwamis to add an element to their power, to be able to fight under harsh conditions.

Adrien has these, he has access to everything, to every bit of important information. He knows all there is to know about the Miraculous world; because, long ago, he’s been trusted as much, if not more, as Ladybug is.

His father lacked information. And maybe that’s why he lost.

But Adrien is different.

Chat Noir purses his lips, and Adrien can see doubt installing itself into his mind. He thinks he understands the fake cat a bit more, now. Even though he can stay focused for a long time onto a boring task, the kitty doesn’t have a very good control of his emotions. He is literally letting his enemy into his head.

‘’Miraclebox...?’’ the fake asks, so softly Adrien isn’t sure he was supposed to hear it, and-

 _God._ This is too easy. Adrien is starting to think this is too good to be true. Is it a trap? Is the kitty trying to trick him by making him think he is affected by this? He doesn’t know the fake cat- he has no idea if he is the type of person who builds plans before acting… like Ladybug does. But whatever. It works, it’s a golden opportunity to get to Chat Noir, and he is _not_ letting it go.

So he smirks and innocently tilts his head to the side.

‘’Oh? Ladybug hasn’t told you yet?’’ he taunts ‘’I thought you were supposed to be her partner?’’

The fake cat doesn’t say anything, but the way he turns his head away, claws disappearing for his hands to curl into fists, and stares at the buildings on his right, is enough of an answer for Adrien.

_Too expressive._

Is this really the one replacing him? Is this really the one Ladybug chose?

This kitty is making too many mistakes, he is doing everything _wrong_. Adrien has trouble believing Ladybug has named someone this _incompetent_ to save Paris. Sure, the new Chat Noir is _way_ behind his predecessor in terms of experience and practice; but at this level, it’s like she hasn’t even trained him to be better!

Does she even think of him as ‘Chat Noir, the owner of the Miraculous of Destruction, and co-savior of the City of Love’? Or is it more as ‘Chat Noir, the second’?

A thought crosses his mind, then- and he can’t help from laughing. He lets go of his staff - which stays planted upright next to him - and hugs his belly, folding himself in half and laughing like there is no tomorrow. With the way he is facing the ground, he can’t see the fake cat anymore. But the kitty is easy to read. Adrien _knows_ he has turned his head back to him and is now looking at him with bewilderment.

If this thought is right, then it means that Ladybug is still attached to him, even after all that happened.

So he puts his hands on his knees and lifts his head up, making sure he doesn't miss anything of the fake cat’s reaction. Then he tests his theory.

‘’She doesn’t even call you ‘Chat Noir’, does she?’’ he wheezes.

The fake cat frowns and opens his mouth, probably to retort that ‘of course she calls me Chat Noir- what the hell are you talking about!?’ but then he freezes, pointy teeth still visible. His eyes move from side to side, watching scenes from his memory, but the rest of him is immobile. Adrien doesn’t say anything, he lets him think. Patience is often necessary to get what one wants. He just straightens up, his laugh dying down, and puts his hand back onto his staff. Meanwhile, Chat Noir hasn’t moved.

Most of the stars are gone, now. The moon is still shining, as it will stay up there for a good part of the morning, while the East side of the city is slowly turning a pale orange. Chat Noir’s patrol should be over, now.

At this point, Adrien is pretty sure what the answer is.

And he is proved right, when, still immersed in his thoughts, the fake cat’s eyes widen with surprise and pain, and his mouth opens in a round ‘oh’.

Adrien smiles, but his reasons are mixed. He likes that he was right, that he is face to face with someone who can’t lie, even if he would want to. He’s never been _that_ bad at reading people, but it’s nice that it’s easy to do so, for once. He likes that this kitty will soon be akumatized, maybe even before Ladybug can get here, and that he’ll be able to try once more. But he is also sad- or is he happy? He doesn't know… He doesn’t know if the fact that Ladybug seems to suffer from his departure as much as him is a good or a bad thing. But he definitely feels something.

‘’How...?’’ Chat Noir whispers, slowly connecting back with the real world.

Adrien just keeps on smiling and pretends he wasn't also touched by the revelation. But with how distracted the fake cat is, he isn’t really worried about being found out.

‘’I guess she doesn’t trust Chat Noir anymore, after what happened with the real one.’’ he shrugs.

And with how open the fake cat has been during this whole conversation, Adrien immediately notices when he tries to lie.

‘’...What real one?’’ the kitty asks, eyes looking everywhere but at his enemy.

Adrien’s smile disappears.

‘’What? Did you think I didn’t know? That you are actually the second owner of the Miraculous of Destruction?’’ he deadpans, feeling the anger slowly coming up to him. And for once, he lets it grow. ‘’All Paris seems to think Chat Noir has always been the same under the mask…’’

He takes a step forward and walks closer to the fake cat, staff in hand. He is careful, though, to stay far enough to be untouchable, far enough to be able to retreat - or flee - easily at the slightest aggressive movement from Chat Noir. He may not be a cat anymore, but Adrien still has good reflexes.

When he stops a few feet away from the kitty, he smiles the way villains do, and hisses, sofly, like he is telling a secret,

‘’But I know the truth.’’

And before Chat Noir can answer, Adrien puts his free hand onto his waist and leans on one leg, standing tall like a proud woman who would take no shit from no one.

‘’Say.’’ he continues. ‘’How did you think I got my hands onto the Miraculous of Transmission and became Hawkmoth 2.0?’’

‘’Enough, Hawkmoth.’’ a feminine voice interrupts them.

A red blurred shadow swings over their heads before falling down next to the fake cat. Adrien smiles as Ladybug retracts the long thread of her yoyo back into her black-dotted Miraculous. Her costume hasn’t changed much over the years. Only a few dots have moved, and her shoes and gloves have turned entirely black. She considers him with caution, and he can’t help but regret the times where her eyes were utterly, entirely and completely full of trust.

Chat Noir acknowledges her presence by glancing at her for less than a second before quickly turning his attention back to him.

 _Finally, he does something right!_ Adrien can’t stop himself from thinking. _Don’t turn your focus away from your enemy._

The small proud feeling for his successor quickly dies away when he realizes that Ladybug’s arrival has put a stop at his attempt to akumatize the fake cat. Chat Noir is still blinking distantly, thinking about what Adrien just told him- but he'll soon get his bearings back with Ladybug's support. If she had _just_ been a few minutes late, he would have been successful.

_Damn it._

‘’Oh, hello.’’ he greets. He puts on a smile as fake as the Chat Noir in front of him, before continuing, ‘’You sure have taken your sweet time, My Lady.’’

Ladybug frowns, and Adrien sees her fingers tighten their hold onto her yoyo.

‘’Don’t call me that.’’ she replies in a stern voice, like he has disappointed her.

And in a way, he has.

But what she seems to forget is that she has disappointed him, too.

‘’Why the long face, Bugaboo?’’ he asks, moving a hand up and down in front of his own face to illustrate his question.

She doesn't humour him. How boring.

‘’What do you want?’’

Adrien puts his hand back on his hip.

‘’Oh, nothing.’’ he shrugs. ‘’Just a chity-chat with the new Chat Noir. Did you know I’ve never really talked to him before?’’

Ladybug puts a foot behind the other in a fighting stance and prepares her yoyo, taking a bit of thread out. The fake cat reacts to her tension, he lets his claws slide back outside and raises them in front of him, menacing.

Chat Noir is getting his mind back on tracks, and it’s not good for Adrien. Plus both of them are now ready to launch an attack, and Nooroo’s powers aren’t really meant for combat. If they decide to fight, Adrien would have no other choice but to escape… if he can.

All he can do for now is lift his staff from the ground, hold it with his two hands before him, and protect himself as much as possible. He only has with him his old felin reflexes and the basic powers of strength and agility every Miraculouses offer to their holder. It’s not much, but it will have to do.

Ladybug puts her weight onto her front foot.

‘’I’m not letting you go.’’ she states, with that mix of fire and determination only she seems to be able to achieve, and it screams ‘nothing is going to get past me’. 

Adrien snorts at that.

‘’Oh, because you’re _oh_ so good at catching people.’’ he mocks, before giving up on his fake smile. ‘’Say, how long did it take for you to get to the real Hawkmoth?’’

He knows the answer before she responds.

‘’Too long.’’

‘’ _Yes_. Exactly. Too long.’’ he says before she can add more. His anger is growing, and his patience, thinning. ‘’How many people do you think died because of him? How many people weren’t you able to save? How many bodies has he left in the streets?’’ he's speaking louder and louder, he knows, but he can't stop himself. He needs her to _understand_. ‘’How many families has he torn apart? How many times do you think my heart broke when he _killed_ someone? How hurt do you think I was when his identity was discovered!?’’ he shouts.

In the silence that follows his rant, Adrien takes his time to get his breathing back into control. He can’t believe he let himself go like that. _In front of Ladybug_ , too. How long has it been since the last time he let his emotions out? He doesn’t know, and maybe that's why he can't control this anger. He hasn't felt anything so strong for so long that he doesn't know how to stop it. But at the end of the day, there is one thing he does know.

‘’I would rather take a hundred more cataclysms than feel that way again.’’

Ladybug doesn’t answer immediately, but when she does, Adrien feels his chest hurt again- the same way it has hurt when he lost Plagg.

‘’Becoming Hawkmoth won’t help anything.’’

 _I never wanted to be Hawkmoth._ he thinks distantly.

‘’No, it won’t.’’ he agrees, before pointing to the butterfly-like brooch on his chest. ‘’But with this Miraculous, I have a power. And with this power, I can try and make things better.’’

Ladybug’s expression turns into confusion, like she can’t understand his logic.

‘’By akumatizing people?’’ she asks, before she looks at him with animosity and accuses, ‘’You’re just like Gab-’’

‘’Don’t say his name!’’ he cuts her, and every bit of calmness he managed to find back have all but flown out of the window. ‘’I’m nothing like him! You know what I want, I already told you - _begged_ you - to help me. But you refused, and you gave Plagg to _him_.’’ he points to that disappointing successor of his. And when he continues, his voice breaks towards the end, ‘’What other choice did I have?’’

Ladybug takes a step back, pain and sadness written on her face, like Adrien’s words have struck harder than she expected them to.

Adrien grits his teeth. That’s not what he wants. He doesn't want that pain. He has never wanted to hurt anyone. All he ever wished for was to be helpful- he just wanted to help make Paris a better place and brighten the day of all who crossed his path. He just wanted to make them smile like he barely did at home, before he was allowed a bit of freedom by being able to go to school. Before he met Plagg who offered him true freedom. Even with the responsibilities implied with being Chat Noir, being hidden behind the mask, being able to speak his mind, being able to jump over Paris, being able to get hurt, being able to be strong, being able to _fall in love_ \- this, is true freedom.

But things happened, and now he needs the Miraculouses of Creation and Destruction to make it all better. And for all he did to help when he could, when he himself became in need of support, no one was there.

No one helped him make things better. Not even Ladybug.

Worse. They are even trying to _stop_ him.

‘’Ladybug, what is he talking about?’’ Chat Noir breathes, and Ladybug quickly turns to him, hands held up in front of her like she’s trying to calm him.

‘’Nothing, kitty.’’ she immediately replies, reassuring. But the fake cat narrows his eyes and looks at her in a way that tells Adrien that he’s still suspicious. 

Ladybug has always been the smartest one between them, and Adrien is pretty sure she just got more clever with the experience that comes with age. She knows it will get bad for her and his successor if she lets Chat Noir think too much. She knows that a broken trust has always been the roots of the most powerful Akumas Hawkmoth ever made. If the fake cat gets to the bottom of this, if he discovers the full story of the first Chat Noir, she will have to face one of the most powerful enemy she ever had to fight - and thus, without the help of her 'partner'.

And before Chat Noir can open his mouth to speak, she turns back to Adrien.

‘’You could have let it go.’’ she says softly, pity barely hidden in her eyes. ‘’You could have turned the page-’’

‘’Say.’’ he stops her, because he doesn't want to hear that. He doesn't want _pity_. He wants _approbation_ and _help_. Instead, he asks, ‘’If you were in my shoes, if you had the possibility to make things better, would you?’’

‘’Yes,’’ she answers without hesitation, her expression sure and determined. ‘’But I wouldn’t do it your way. You’re in the wrong, Hawkmoth. I can’t let you hurt people.’’

Hurt- How _dare_ she say that he injured people, that his actions are dangerous for the safety of the people? He’s making sure no one is in danger, no one is hurt, no one is _killed_. He makes Akumas to fight Ladybug and Chat Noir and to get their Miraculouses, not to bring terror in Paris!

He looks at her coldly, whishing, for the first time in his life, that he could kill her. But, even as furious as he is, he knows there are some things he shouldn’t do- _can’t_ do. So he tightens his grip onto his staff and takes a step backward, defensive.

‘’I haven’t killed, or even injured anyone.’’ he grits between his teeth.

Ladybug opens her mouth to respond, but the fake cat is faster.

‘’Maybe.’’ he says, his tone accusing. ‘’But it doesn't mean it won’t happen. All Paris has seen what you are capable of!’’

‘’It wasn’t me!’’ Adrien immediately growls, and the cat-like sound coming from his throat makes him blink. He suddenly feels flooded with nostalgia and melancholia. He hasn’t heard this noise for so long... Just thinking about it makes him miss Plagg even more.

But he'll think about that later. Right now, he is facing danger.

Chat Noir has obviously gotten his head back onto his shoulders, and Adrien can feel his dominance over him disappearing like sand running through his fingers. Things are turning bad for him. If he can’t akumatize the fake cat, he has no chance against two Miraculouses made for combat.

He needs to turn the situation at his own advantage, but the kitty is not done talking.

‘’It’s not like people _like_ to be akumatized.’’ he shouts. ‘’We can’t let you do that!’’

‘’None of them have refused my help!’’ Adrien retorts with a smirk.

_Think, Adrien. Think. How do I win?_

But of course, Chat Noir won’t let him find a new plan.

‘’They’re drowning in anger and desperation, of course none of them would say ‘no’!’’

Guided by old cat instincts, Adrien bares his teeth, and he would have probably snarled, had Ladybug not stopped them.

‘’Boys, enough!’’ she scolds, eyebrows frowned, like she is facing two ill-tempered ten-years old. She looks left and right, to one and then to the other and to the first one again.

But they both ignore her, and Chat Noir shouts again, pointy teeth bared menacingly. 

‘’You should-’’

And Adrien has enough.

‘’Oh shut up, you alley cat!’’ he yells ‘’I don’t need your advice!’’

‘’Chat Noir!’’ Ladybug reprimands.

Silence.

The current Chat Noir slowly turns to her, bewilderment written on his face, while Adrien breathes. It has been so long since she had last called him that. When has it been? Probably _that day_ , when everything went wrong. When everything changed. When he was forced to hide. When she screamed at him ‘ _don’t do this!'_. When she looked at him ‘ _this is not the way._ ’. When she held out her hand ‘ _give it to me._ ’. When she ripped his ring off his finger ‘ _I’m sorry._ ’. When she saw his eyes _‘Adrien?_ ’-

‘’What did you call him, Ladybug?’’

She doesn’t answer the fake cat. Her eyes stay focused on Adrien, and the _pity_ has never been more visible. She holds her hand out to him and he blinks, sees _red gloves, palms up, in front of him; a plea, don’t be like him; something burning behind her; crushed cars and pieces of road torn apart; screaming; the scent of iron; something liquid running down his face; the weight of the Miraculous of Transmission in his hand; the feeling of nakedness without his mask_ -

‘’Please.’’ she whispers. ‘’You can still change. You can stop everything.’’ a pause. She swallows. ‘’ _Chat_ , please.’’

Adrien holds his batton straighter, slightly pointing the tip of it to Ladybug.

‘’I’m not Chat Noir anymore.’’ he denies. ‘’You made sure of that, My Lady.’’

He feels his Miraculous pulse on his chest, then, and he looks at the fake cat. The poor kitty is staring at him, frowning in confusion.

‘’You were the first Chat Noir?’’ he quietly asks. ‘’ _You?_ ’’

Adrien reports his attention to Ladybug, and she isn’t even trying to hide the tears rising on the corner of her eyes. Her voice shakes,

‘’Please, Chat-’’

But the kitty turns around to face her.

‘’Hawkmoth was the first Chat Noir, and you didn’t tell me!?’’ he asks louder, angrier.

Adrien blinks, then a small smile appears on his face.

It’s both. Both of them. His Miraculous is pulsing for them both, they are _both_ feeling a strong negative emotion. He could have _both_ … But he can only akumatize one at the same time, as he can’t make two butterflies. He needs to choose, and obviously, he’ll pick the most affected. He needs the most powerful if he hopes to win against the other one.

He decides to provoke them.

‘’Oooh.’’ he grins. ‘’I feel a strong emotion.’’

Ladybug immediately reacts, and he feels her emotions skyrocket. It surprises him. He thought she would calm down if she realized she was in danger, but instead her panic only gets stronger, and when she turns to Chat Noir, Adrien understands why.

‘’Kitty!’’ she warns.

She is thinking the fake cat is losing control, and she is so focused on him she hasn’t understood yet that _she too_ could be akumatized.

It’s so sweet, how she doesn’t trust him like she trusted Adrien.

‘’I thought we were partners.’’ Chat Noir accuses her. ‘’I thought we told each other everything important- I thought I could trust you!’’

 _Believe me,_ Adrien thinks. _I thought that too, once._

Lifting a hand in front of him, Adrien closes his fingers into a fist for a few seconds. When he reopens them, a black butterfly rises from his palm and shakily flies over to the two superheroes.

_Go, my little Akuma._

‘’Kitty, you need to calm-’’

The small insect slowly makes his way to them, unnoticed. They are too distracted to pay attention to it… Where is the fun in that?

 _Darken this heart_.

‘’Too late.’’ Adrien says out loud. It doesn’t matter if he warns them or not, now. His Akuma will find a victim anyway.

Ladybug turns around, and her eyes widen when she sees the butterfly. She tries to push Chat Noir out of the way, but the fake cat holds his ground. He grabs her by the upper-arms and uses her momentum to spin her around, standing between her and Hawkmoth, his back facing the enemy.

The surprise makes her let go of her yoyo, and it falls to the ground, bouncing away with a plastic sound, before stopping its course close to the end of the roof, far away from all of them.

Adrien feels her panic grow even more, but the feeling of treason is stronger, so he sends his Akuma towards Chat Noir.

‘’I knew you were hiding something from me!’’ the fake cat keeps screaming at her, oblivious to the danger behind him. ‘’And I understood that you had your secrets. But _this_? This is important! How could you not tell me!?’’

The butterfly gets closer.

‘’Kitty, listen-’’

‘’No, _you_ listen! I took the Miraculous because I thought that you giving it to me meant that you trusted me, that I could protect Paris! But now I don’t know if it was really the case. Say, why did you give-’’

A few more flaps of its wings, and it absorbs itself into Chat Noir’s baton, stored behind his back.

The fake cat stiffens. His fingers tighten onto Ladybug’s arms and she yelps in pain.

‘’No, kitty!’’

Chat Noir bends his head forwards and looks at the ground. He is shaking and breathing hard, _resisting_ despide everything.

‘’No!’’ he fights, voice trembling in time with his body. ‘’I won’t-’’

 _Stronger than I thought._ Adrien realizes. He’s starting to see why Ladybug chose him. He is not what he looks like. Short-tempered and too expressive, but determined to do what’s good.

If he wants to akumatize him, Adrien needs to push a last button.

‘’Hey, kitty.’’ he calls, gaining his attention. ‘’She knows who I am behind the mask.’’

He can’t see his face, but the way the fake cat lifts his head and stares at Ladybug is telling enough. Adrien has never felt a betrayal so strong, it’s impressive. And all because of Ladybug. He should thank her… maybe.

‘’You-’’ Chat Noir starts, but seemingly can’t finish his sentence.

‘’Kitty, fight it!’’

The fake cat stops shaking.

Ladybug’s expression crumbles with _terror_ when a purple hue shines over her face, and with the connection establishing itself, Adrien knows the mask has appeared before Chat Noir’s eyes.

‘’Say, Chat Blanc.’’ he says, looking at Ladybug in the eyes, making sure she knows she won’t win this one. ‘’Do you want my help?’’

She squeezes her eyes shut and tries a last call.

‘’Kitty!’’

But no matter how much she struggles, the fake cat doesn't let her go.

The sun rises over the horizon, and its light strikes the fake cat's hateful expression. A smirk slowly grows on his face while his pointy teeth shine and sparkle with the sun.

‘’Yes, Hawkmoth.’’ he answers, and his form disappears behind a curtain of purple bubbles.


End file.
